WWC Warm-Ups - NZ beat England; Aussies win again and Sri Lanka beat Saffas

Warm-Up results (29/1/13)

New Zealand 223 all out (50 ovs) v England 210 all out (48.2 ovs) - New Zealand won by 13 runs
scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/602098.html

India 222/5 (50 ovs) v Australia 223/5 (38.3 ovs) - Australia won by 5 wickets (69 balls remaining)
scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-womens-world-cup-2013/engine/current/match/594888.html

South Africa 164 all out (45.2 ovs) v Sri Lanka 167/8 (44.3 ovs) Sri Lanka won by 2 wickets (33 balls remaining)
scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-womens-world-cup-2013/engine/current/match/602099.html

Pakistan 240 all out (48.4)  v Odishi XI 145/8 (50 ovs) - Pakistan won by 95 runs
scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-womens-world-cup-2013/engine/current/match/594887.html

Opener Lucy Doolan hit 57 and the in form Sara McGlashan a fine 88 to set England 224 to win, but it could have been a much stiffer task had New Zealand not crumbled from 209/5 to 223 all out in the last five overs of their innings. Chief tormentor for England was Danni Hazell who claimed 5/41 from her 10 overs. England lost openers Edwards and Knight with just 25 on the board, but then Sarah Taylor (32) and Lydia Greenway (51) built steadily to get England to 112/2, but there then followed a middle-order collapse which left England at 152/7. Jenny Gunn (35) and Tammy Beaumont (22) did their best to extract England from the mire, and had reduced the deficit to just 24 with 22 balls to go, but Beaumont, Hazell and eventually Greenway fell to leave England 13 short with 10 balls to go.

Meanwhile Australia cruised to another convincing win this time over the hosts India, who had conquered New Zealand the day before. India set a decent target of 223 with seven batsmen getting into double figures, but none going beyond 35. Veteran Lisa Sthalekar claimed 3/29 off six overs. Australia replied in similar vein with only Meg Lanning missing out on some valuable time at the crease. Alex Blackwell (47) and skipper Jodie Fields (52 retired) made the most of the opportunity. The Aussies still had over 11 overs in hand when they went past the Indian total.

Sri Lanka will be buoyed by their victory over South Africa. Set only 165 to win based around Mignon du Preez (59) and Dane van Niekerk (46) Sri Lanka seemed to have lost the game as they slipped to 66/6 after 22 overs, but good late order batting from Eshani Kaushalya (22), Sripali Weerakkody (54no) saw them home, despite leg-spinner van Niekerk's excellent spell of 3/24 off her 10 overs.

In the final warm-up game Pakistan overcame the scratch Odishi XI comfortably with Nain Abidi (73) and Bismah Maroof (76) adding 148 for the third wicket to help take Pakistan to 240 all out. Asmavia Iqbal claimed 3/20 off 10 overs as the opposition fell well short of their target.

MD
29/I/13